When breaking into any new territory, organizations send out what is known as an advance team.
McKenna
Intertwining Worlds (John 18: 33-37)
by Tom McKenna, CM | December 1, 2021 | Formation, Reflections | 0 Comments
More than most any other, the feast of Christ the King immerses us in this swirling dilemma of negotiating worlds.
Acting Out (Mark 12:38-44)
by Tom McKenna, CM | November 17, 2021 | Formation, Reflections | 2 Comments
When you hear that someone is “acting out” it usually isn’t heard as a compliment.
Saints Like Us (Hebrews 12.1)
by Tom McKenna, CM | November 3, 2021 | Formation, Reflections | 4 Comments
There’s an instinct to idealize the saints as entirely different from the rest of us, off in another league at some unattainable level of holiness and favor with God.
Stumbling Along ‘The Way’ (Mark 10:35-45)
by Tom McKenna, CM | October 20, 2021 | Formation, Reflections | 4 Comments
Most of us know the image backing the word “scandalize;” i.e., somebody tripping over a stone in the road.
Trinitarian Living (John 16: 12-15)
by Tom McKenna, CM | Jun 15, 2022 | Formation, Reflections
The mystery of the Trinity is definitely that: a mystery who’s depth and range we can never come close to penetrating.
Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory (Rev. 22: 16; Jn 17: 20-26)
by Tom McKenna, CM | Jun 1, 2022 | Formation, Reflections
The word Glory shows up frequently in the Scriptures, all those praises of God’s Glory and in particular Jesus’ petitions to His Father asking to give the disciples (and all of us) the Glory that the Father has given Him.
Testifying
by Tom McKenna, CM | Nov 7, 2018 | Formation, Reflections
Testifying (Luke 9:1-2) Reading Luke’s account of the disciples being sent out, I put myself in the shoes of one of those 70 individuals directed to go forth and proclaim the Good News that in Jesus, God’s forgiving compassion is drawing near. How would I feel...
On Listening
by Tom McKenna, CM | Oct 24, 2018 | Formation, Reflections
“On Listening” (Luke 11: 16, 29-31) One of the most gratifying compliments is to hear that you listen well. It conveys another’s feeling that something of his or her inner self has gotten through, that not just the words but the deeper resonances of those words have...
The Ministry of Encouragement
by Tom McKenna, CM | Oct 10, 2018 | Formation, Reflections
The Ministry of Encouragement (Hebrews 12:1) There’s a wonderfully comforting image in the Letter to the Hebrews which has special application to us in Vincent’s Family. The author sets out to build up his struggling fellow believers and does this through a...
Sent Out
by Tom McKenna, CM | Sep 26, 2018 | Formation, Reflections
“Sent Out” (Isaiah 61:1-2) There was a documentary on TV about the Renaissance, that period of awakening in the history of Europe when a fresh energy flooded into the culture and triggered off a whole new view of the world. The reason for it, as the show presented,...
A Life Time of Answering
by Tom McKenna, CM | Sep 12, 2018 | Formation, Reflections
A Life Time of Answering (Mark 8:27-30) People have wondered about the surprising, almost jarring response Jesus makes to Peter right after this apostle gives the exact right answer to the question, “Who do you say I am?” His reply, “You are the Christ.” But Jesus...
The Grace of Visibility
by Tom McKenna, CM | Aug 29, 2018 | Formation, Reflections
The Grace of Visibility (James 2: 1-5) America Magazine (8/06/18) recently featured an article entitled “Becoming Invisible.” The author observes how in both the early and ending years of life, a person is less visible to the surrounding world. A newly born looking...
The Planted Word
by Tom McKenna, CM | Aug 15, 2018 | Formation, Reflections
The Planted Word (James 1: 17-27) Early in the last century, a boy came home from school to tell his mother how he had thrown snow balls at a homeless man lying drunk in the winter street. Taking him aside, she drove home reasons why he should never demean...
Swept Up Into
by Tom McKenna, CM | Aug 1, 2018 | Formation, Reflections
Swept Up Into (Amos 7: 15-15; Ephesians 1: 10-14; Mark 6:7-9) Years ago I was part of a raft trip down a river that was mostly tranquil but which every once in a while would hit rapids. Then what was a calm, sit-back-and-enjoy-the-scenery stream turned into...
Up on Your Feet!
by Tom McKenna, CM | Jul 18, 2018 | Formation, Reflections
Up on Your Feet! (Ez 2:2 Mark 6:1-6) If you were to paint a picture of the prophet Ezekiel as he first appears in the Bible, you might have him sitting back in a recliner, at peace with himself and confident that the way he saw his world was the way the world truly...